


Une Promesse Sanguine

by Kabieee



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Anal Sex, Blood, Blood Drinking, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Lovers, Human/Vampire Relationship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Soulmates, Vampire Bites, Vampire Cure, Vampires, i hate sylvains family dot tumblr dot com, sylvain and felix will always find each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 04:28:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21386101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kabieee/pseuds/Kabieee
Summary: When Felix Fraldarius goes to arrest a strange man, nothing can prepare him for his first encounter with a vampire. This man is supposed to be dead, killed by his brother at least ten years ago. As he vows to protect him, his heart begins to yearn for him, and he promises to help break the curse that threatens their love.
Relationships: felix hugo fraldarius / sylvain jose gautier
Comments: 6
Kudos: 93





	Une Promesse Sanguine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hinkelvinkel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hinkelvinkel/gifts).

> This beast is for my lovely HinkelVinkel! She won my 100 follower giveaway <3 I've worked on this for a few weeks now, and SO much time and love went into this. I've never written a vampire au fic before, but this was so much fun. I hope you enjoy it <3  
Huge thanks to hinky and nat for helping me write this, for all your words of encouragement and love. i'd be nowhere if it weren't for you guys! thank you so much for all that you do <3

Felix Fraldarius blinked his eyes open furiously, reeling from the dream that had jolted him awake. The room around him was still dark, so he knew it could not yet be morning. His eyes were slow to adjust to the darkness, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary in his chamber. He shut his eyes and attempted to go back to sleep, knowing it'd be pointless. With a small sigh he rose from bed and quickly threw on clothes. A walk would be the best way to make him tired again.

He locked his front door behind him and pocketed the key, shivering in the chilly late night of a Red Wolf Moon. The stars shone brightly overhead, providing enough light that he wouldn't need a torch. The frozen ground crunched beneath his boots as he headed out towards town, where surely a tavern would still be open with late night patrons. His breath flowed from his nostrils and mouth like smoke.

Felix trekked down the snowy roads of his home city, thankful for the quiet. With his father running things in the castle, he stayed out of the thick of things by living nearby in a small cottage. He'd not been called by Rodrigue to raise his sword for a while, so he was feeling restless. He almost wished someone would call for help at the late hour, so he could aid them and also feel the rush of the fight once more. As he reached his favorite tavern though, he resigned to warming up inside.

"Evening, Lord Fraldarius," the bartender waved, smiling at him and reaching for his preferred ale. Felix returned the smile and sat down at the tall counter after hanging his teal cloak on the hook by the door. "Can't sleep? It's nearly two in the morning!"

Felix shook his head and nodded in thanks when the man handed him his stein. The bartender knew he wasn't much of a talker, so just smiled again and went to tend to the other rowdy patrons. The swordsman was more of a people watcher, always vigilant should someone need his help. Currently, a group of men were loudly betting on how long it'd be before their friend had to go outside to puke. T

wo female knights were sitting closely together over tea, leaving only a few solo patrons like himself.

A flash of red hair caught his eye. The man was sitting alone back in the corner, and seemed to be trembling. His cheeks were thin and gaunt, his skin pale and sickly looking. He had no food or drink by him. Felix sipped on his ale, peering at him every few minutes. He was so intrigued while simultaneously growing more worried. The bartender went to him multiple times offering him a plate of food and a flagon to drink from, but each time the redhead shook his head in polite refusal.

Felix ordered another drink and continued to watch the man. This went on for an hour, and the tavern emptied as the minutes ticked on. The female knights were the last two to be seated, and when they realized it was just them, they laughed, waving to the bartender and Felix before holding on to each other as they stumbled outside. Felix wasn't worried about them, knowing they could handle themselves should anyone try to mess with them, but then he saw the redheaded man quickly stand up to leave. He slapped a gold piece down on the counter and darted out of the tavern, following closely behind the others.

"Stop right there," He growled in the ear of the redhead, holding his blade up against his throat. The knights too had their swords drawn; Felix had followed them down a dimly lit side street not far from the tavern.

"We've got this, Fraldarius," the blonde knight winked, hands tightening on the hilt of her blade.

"I know you do. Can't be too careful, though." Felix glared at the man, who had jumped slightly at the mention of his last name. "What were you planning on doing, you cur?" The man had at least a head on him, but he had still managed to wrestle his hands behind his back and hold them while he threatened him with his blade.

"Nothing that concerns you, I'm sure," the redhead said smugly, still shaking beneath Felix's hands. Now that the swordsman was up close, he could hear how ragged and shallow the man's breathing was. He'd be more concerned if he wasn't sure he was going to attempt to attack the knights.

"When I see someone trying to hurt others, I _notice_," Felix hissed, pressing the tip of the blade against the man's pale skin. "You're coming with me."

Felix nodded to the knights who smiled back in thanks, tightening his grip on the man's wrists. He sheathed his sword and reached into the leather pouch on his hip for some rope. As he tightly wrapped it around the redhead's hands, he braced himself should he try to escape. With an odd sensation in his stomach though, he knew the man too weak to fight back. In fact, the man's head pathetically fell down and lie on his chest as he was apprehended by Felix.

"I'll take him to the garrison. Get back safe," Felix called to the knights, shoving his captive forward out of the alley and into the well-lit street. They were silent, save for the haggard breathing that heaved the redhead's chest. "Are you ill?" Felix inquired, taking his hands off his wrists and letting him walk alone.

The redhead coughed horribly and laughed again. "Worried about your prisoner, are you?" he snapped back, fighting a rib-cracking, hacking fit.

"I don't want to be responsible for leaving a corpse on the garrison's steps," Felix mumbled, trying to look away in disgust. He couldn't help but peer back at the man though, whose shoulders were shaking so hard he could barely stand. When the redhead fell forward, his breath hitched in his throat and he caught him before he hit the frozen, icy ground.

"Fuck..." The man rattled in Felix's arms, weakly trying to break away.

"What's wrong? Should I take you to the mages?" Felix searched for blood or a wound where his skin showed but saw nothing.

"N-No. I... need to feed."

"The bartender offered you food--"

"You don't unders-stand. I need--"

The man's mouth fell open with his raspy breaths as he attempted to speak. Felix nearly yelped when he saw long, ghost-white fangs in the place of his canine teeth.

Vampires were extremely uncommon in his family's territory. They usually hid out up in the Gautier region to the north or even Sreng. There had been reports of sightings recently, but Felix thought them too flippant and farfetched. Finding one and bringing it to his father carried an extremely high bounty, more money promised to the hunter if it was dead. The last thing on Felix's mind was the reward, but knew the dangers his people faced if a vampire was in their midst.

Something perverse invaded his mind, though, looking at the tall redhead in his arms. He was clearly on the brink of death, an easy kill once Felix was able to fashion a wooden stake or a silver dagger. He had them in droves back in his cottage, displayed nicely on the wall in the sitting room. But when the thought occurred to him that he'd have to take this man's life, his chest tightened and he immediately hesitated.

"You need blood." He finished the man's sentence, looking down at him intensely. The man nodded, eyes nearly closed as he faded in and out of consciousness. "Can you feed from an animal?"

The man shook his head, coughing. He was barely able to wrap his fingers around Felix's wrist. The swordsman's face flushed anxiously at the unspoken bond of civility they agreed upon.

"I don't need much," he whispered, silently pleading with the swordsman. "I can't take so much that I'd kill you in this state." Felix instinctively jerked away, looking around to make sure they weren't being watched.

"This is crazy." Felix stood up and hoisted the man's arm over his shoulder. His cottage was not far. "Stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me..." He practically dragged him, anxiously looking up at him every couple of steps to see if he was still conscious. His breathing somehow grew more ragged alongside his quiet whimpering.

At the cottage door, he threw the key in the lock and pulled the man inside, gently leading him to the couch in front of the fireplace. He hastily locked up and shut the curtains before throwing off his cloak and leaning down in front of the man.

"Where do you-- Where do I?"

He held his arms on the side of the man's thighs, hyper aware he was about to let a vampire drink his blood. Would it hurt? Was this all a ruse to kill him? As he looked at the man, he struggled. He knew he couldn’t fight him if he truly wanted to kill him. He also knew that his damn heart could not let him sit by and watch him die, no matter the law was his father passed.

"W-wrist." The man jutted forward, eyes growing wide at the prospect of finally feeding. He gently took Felix's wrist in his hands and sniffed, pupils dilating at his scent. All the while he shook, but his tremors finally subsided as he gave one last look at Felix. "Thank you. Nobody has ever been so kind to me."

"What's your name? I'm Felix Fraldarius." Felix said nervously, trying his best to remain calm as the man's mouth opened to reveal his fangs once more.

"Gautier. Sylvain Gautier."

The realization of who this was made Felix's mouth drop open in shock. He didn't even feel Sylvain's fangs pierce his skin, didn't notice his own crimson blood sliding down his arm as he drank hungrily. Margrave Gautier's son, whom everyone across Faerghus believed to be _dead_, was a vampire. A vampire who Felix had stumbled upon and was now letting drink from his veins.

Felix's face burned crimson as he felt Sylvain's lips moving over his skin. They almost felt like warm kisses despite the coldness of the other. He held his arm so tenderly and gratefully, sneaking glances up at the swordsman as he drank. It felt as though they were locked in time; how long had they been sitting there? A few seconds, minutes?

Sylvain eventually pulled away from Felix, eyes half lidded in a stupor. His chest stopped heaving and the tremors shaking his body ceased, leaving him exhausted on the sofa.

"Thank you... so very much." He looked at Felix and grabbed his hand, reaching into the pouch on his hip with the other. He pulled out a small potion vial and a bandage, uncorking it with his teeth. He squeezed Felix's hand with a little grimace as he poured it over the bite marks, wincing as Felix groaned in pain. "It's deep enough to need to medicine," Sylvain said sadly, raising his arm up to his eyes to get a better look to make sure it had gone down in the punctures.

As Sylvain wrapped his wrist with the bandage, Felix felt breathless. His father had told him about his supposed death, about how Margrave Gautier's eldest son had murdered him in cold blood. He had been taken from their home in the middle of the night, never to be seen again.

"Are you... okay now?" Felix leaned back on his calves and looked Sylvain up and down.

"For now. I probably won't need to feed for a few days." Sylvain rubbed his eyes and smiled softly at Felix. "I meant it when I said nobody has ever been this kind to me. Thank you for trusting me."

Felix nodded, feeling as tired as Sylvain looked. "Do you need somewhere to stay?"

Sylvain's eyes shot wide open. His hands clenched the fabric of his pants, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"You would. Let me stay?"

"You'll be killed if anyone learns what you are." Felix stood up and grabbed some flint from the mantle, bending down to light the logs in the fireplace. "Your kind fetches a large bounty in Fraldarius territory."

"Why are you--"

"You needn't worry about me turning you in. My father is the highest lord in the land," Felix said bitterly, prodding the small flames below him with a metal poker. "I don't think it's right to kill your kind, mind you," he said, turning around and peering at Sylvain. The redhead looked so confused, and slightly afraid.

He stood and went to sit on the other side of the sofa.

"Everyone thinks you're dead. You're the Margrave's son, are you not?"

Sylvain sighed and leaned forward to put his head in his hands. He laughed hollowly, rubbing his temples. "I am dead, for all he knows." He looked into the flames, the small smile he previously wore dropping altogether. "My brother did this to me, in a way," he continued, unblinking. "He kidnapped me and practically fed me to other vampires in Sreng. They nearly killed me, but he thought it'd be funnier if I was just an undead monster for the rest of my life."

Felix tensed up, aching to grab for his hand. There had always been talk about how horrific Miklan Gautier was, and now he figured it to be true. The pain and aching dripping off Sylvain's words convinced him that he wasn't lying.

"Why are you in Fraldarius?" Felix asked.

"I had to leave Sreng. The others of my kind that were letting me live amongst them ran out of hospitality." A small yet true smile returned to Sylvain's face.

"You're welcome to stay here. As long as you don't drain me." Felix managed to smile despite the heartbreak he felt for Sylvain. They had met once or twice as children, since their fathers maintained a somewhat close friendship due to their shared border. Sylvain had always been happy and smiling, so seeing him... as he was jarred Felix. Seeing him on the brink of death had hurt even more.

Sylvain snickered. "I wasn't going to kill those knights, you know. I never feed and kill. I just can't." His gaze fell downward sadly as he looked at his hands. When he noticed Felix's puzzled expression, he peered back over at him. "I've never been further than barely surviving ever since... y'know. I don't know what keeps me doing even that."

Felix clenched his fists and scooted closer to Sylvain. He placed a stiff hand on his shoulder and meaningfully looked up into his hazel eyes. He struggled to find words, opening his mouth multiple times to try to speak. Sylvain chuckled and met his touch with a reassuring squeeze.

"You don't have to say anything, Fraldarius. But know that I cannot begin to show you how much I appreciate your kindness."

___

Felix awoke the next morning having barely slept. He had spent the hour before bed boarding up his windows from inside the cottage, carefully asking Sylvain if there was anything else he might need to do. Sylvain had thanked him no less than a hundred times, seemingly still in abject shock at Felix's kindness. All he could possibly request was that his host not go to too much trouble for him.

The swordsman passed by the door to his second room where Sylvain slept, pausing. It all still seemed surreal, too fantastical to believe he was housing a vampire. What would his father think if he found out? The thought alone brought a wry smile to Felix's face.

He continued on with his morning, preparing to make a visit to the city's castle to see no one other than Rodrigue himself. He was itching for a mission, _something_ to get him out in the field.

Felix was disappointed when they met later that afternoon. Rodrigue had greeted him normally with his warm hug and a pat on Felix's shoulder. He'd discussed the important business he was currently seeing to, all of the important visits he was expecting that Moon. It seemed King Dimitri would be there in a fortnight, so Felix made a mental note to be clear of Fraldarius for at least a month. Perhaps he'd commission a windowless carriage for Sylvain to travel with him in.

The thought made Felix stare out a window in their meeting room, surprised his mind had created the notion. He had never been one for company on his expeditions or travels. He chalked up his worry and overprotectiveness over Sylvain to his disdain for the law his father and his advisers had created and nothing more though, and wanted to stick to that story. He wanted to forget the butterflies he'd felt in his stomach when the other's lips had been on his arm and wrist, his hands holding him gently.

"Father, can you explain the vampire bounty law to me?" He inquired once Rodrigue had finished discussing the ration stockpile that the territory participated in every Ethereal Moon.

An uneasy grimace crossed over his father's face. "It's not my favorite law," he admitted to Felix's surprise. "I passed it due to heavy influence from the lords in the northern part of our territory." His son looked at him quizzically. "They grew weary of that kind coming through from Gautier and Sreng. Not that it was a huge problem that required a law..."

Felix sat forward in his chair. He knew of the protocol needed to overturn a Lord-issued law in Fraldarius, but wondered what his father's reaction would be if he were to propose it.

"We do not have that issue here, do we?"

Rodrigue shrugged, shuffling papers around on the table in front of him. "Not unless they roll in from Gautier. The Margrave doesn't even seem too concerned with them there, though, admittedly."

A dark shadow crossed through Felix's heart. To think that Sylvain's own father cared so little about the beings that took his son's humanity from him only tore through him like a bolt of electricity. It was possible he did not know what had happened to him, but that didn't change the fact that he didn't seem to show concern for a dangerous hazard to his people.

"I do not see the benefit in a law imposed on our people due to the carelessness of Margrave Gautier," he replied icily, peering down at the map of Faerghus that was painted onto their meeting table.

"I agree, my son. Setting aside the money for the bounty has lessened the amount that can be put towards the ration stockpile. But Lord Argent from the north has a sister near the Sreng border so was _very_ insistent." The father and son looked at each other with heavy hearts. Although they weren't at war, it had always been the Fraldarius way to prepare for the worst should it come.

They stood to take a break and stretch their legs, as it was now the middle of the afternoon. As they took a stroll around their castle, Rodrigue let down his noble attitude and took on that of a father with his only remaining son.

"How are things in your little... cottage," he asked with a smile, leading Felix around their modest grounds. The grass was yellow in the winter cold, but was still well maintained without a leaf anywhere in sight. Felix scoffed but permitted a small chuckle.

"It's nice. And quiet. And I can wake as early as I please and practice with my sword in the garden."

"You could to that here, son!" Felix stared pointedly at his father as the other man laughed.

"Not without you sending my nurse out to fetch me because 'it's far too cold, Master Fraldarius'," Felix bit back. "I also don't have to worry about suitors coming for my hand."

Rodrigue pursed his lips and continued on without saying anything. Felix knew he wanted to ask about his potential engagement, but knew better than to pick that fight on a day where they were getting along so well. He was silently thankful. "I'm sorry I don't have any mercenary work for you, my son."

Felix gently bumped up against his father's shoulder and smiled. "It could be worse."

___

That evening, Felix returned home to a quiet cottage. He saw a dim light from under the door of his second chamber when he entered the front door and then Sylvain soon after as he locked up.

"Welcome home," he greeted softly, peering in the shadow of the hallway while Felix secured the door.

"Thank you. How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well. Who knew I'd find the perfect room with no windows?" he laughed, finally sounding like he was alive again. Now that he wasn't struggling for breath, he had a nice deep voice that had a certain melody to it that simply soothed Felix's ears.

"I think I may have found a solution for your feeding," Felix said, removing his gloves and cloak. Sylvain stopped dead in his tracks as he came into the small kitchen.

"What... do you mean?"

Felix blushed and busied himself with removing his heavy outerwear. He didn't want to admit to Sylvain he'd spent a greater part of the afternoon looking into ways he could make his life easier, because he knew he'd think him a lunatic. Hell, he himself thought himself to be a lunatic.

He cleared his throat and steadied his gaze upon Sylvain, who looked rightfully apprehensive. "There is a mortuary not too far from here. They always fly a purple flag when there are new dead brought in for burial preparation. Would you still be able to feed on that blood if it was relatively fresh?"

Sylvain slunk down into a chair at the dining table, eyes drifting between his hands and Felix. "I-- Yes. I mean, it's not ideal. But it's definitely better than starving."

Felix too sat down and tried his best to not fidget. Sylvain seemed nervous enough without him freaking out beside him.

"Sylvain-- I'm sorry if I'm coming off too forward. This law is just--"

The redhead laughed nervously and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's nothing personal. It's just... the last person who treated me so nicely was the one who almost killed me."

Felix tensed, his heart begging him not to lift his hand to clasp over Sylvain's on the table but his mind allowing the action anyway. When Sylvain didn't jump or peer at him oddly, his stomach fluttered happily.

Sylvain told the story of a beautiful woman he'd met in southern Gautier. She had met him in a bar, much like he'd met Felix, and cared to his wounds and hunger with blood samples. She'd told him she was a healing mage who hoped to cure the sick. After a week or two of helping him, it was revealed she had let slip his stay in her home to local hunters.

"I cannot imagine... I'm so sorry, Sylvain," Felix said quietly, squeezing his hand again. The thought of someone pretending to care about others only to sell them out made him ill. And the fact that this woman had done it to Sylvain, well...

"Her blood was disgusting after I killed her," Sylvain said with a grimace. Felix stiffened at the confession but nodded.

"It's not easy, but sometimes it has to be done."

Sylvain nodded sadly. "All I can hope to do is not hurt too many people."

The redhead sat peacefully while Felix prepared his dinner, reading from an old book he'd found in his guest quarters. Felix noticed how he hummed while he read, the relaxed way he lounged on the sofa and how he furrowed his brow while he was concentrating. His pale skin looked beautiful in the amber glow of the room, the flames from the fireplace casting whimsical shadows on his face.

When he set his plate down on the table, Sylvain came to join him with a smile. "I hope you don't mind if I join you!" The redhead brought his book with him and sat across from him; the grin permanent on his face.

Felix shook his head, fighting his anxious, jittery hands as he cut into his steak. The ambience of the moment crept up his spine knowingly: coming home after a long day to someone waiting for him. The person happy to see him, excited to simply be in his company. They didn't need to exchange long conversations, although he'd be lying to himself if he said he hated the idea of talking with Sylvain.

"It feels nice to be around other people." Felix suppressed a small gasp as Sylvain pulled the sentiment from his mind and put it into words. "I've been alone for a very long time." The same sadness that choked his smile and cast away his happiness when he had spoken about his brother fell upon his words.

Felix set down his utensils and looked at Sylvain, his heart pounding away against his rib cage. He wished to banish the loneliness from the other's mind, to make sure he never frowned again. He wanted it known that if it was what Sylvain wanted, he'd never be alone again and Felix would always be there.

He was never good with words. Rodrigue had always taught him it was better to show your feelings and intentions through actions. What better way to let someone know exactly how you feel?

He stood up and walked around the table to Sylvain, stopping just so their knees touched. He could feel his blood pumping angrily in his ears, his heartbeat drowning out all other noise in the cottage. Sylvain looked as though he knew what was coming, his teeth biting anxiously on his bottom lip and his cheeks as flushed as they could be with his pale complexion. His hands sat jittering in his lap, as though he was aching to just grab Felix and get it over with. 

Felix only had to bend slightly. But he smiled softly at the other and leaned his head to the side sheepishly, sweeping aside Sylvain's long red bangs over his right eye. He cupped his chin with his fingers, heart threatening to bust a hole in his torso. When his lips met Sylvain's, a fiery burst tore through his flesh and ignited him. He had never felt anything so warm and soft in his life. It felt as though their lips had kissed before across thousands of lifetimes. He fit against the redhead so perfectly, their lips moving in identical tandem.

Sylvain stood, scooping Felix into a tight embrace. His fingers pulled the tie from his hair and wove in between navy locks, their kiss deepening as he gently pushed his tongue into the shorter man's mouth. Felix's hands went to Sylvain's waist and pulled it closer to his own, gripping his loose-fitting shirt. Despite the aching grasps, their kiss remained loving and sweet.

"This feels..." Felix whispered into the kiss, not wanting to break away for anything.

"I've never felt more right in my life." They grinned into one another, foreheads meeting with a soft bump.

Felix smoothed his thumb against Sylvain's cheek, looking up into his hazel eyes with deep yearning. "I want to help protect you. I will make sure you're safe while you're with me." Sylvain wordlessly wrapped him tighter in his arms, face burying in his neck. Felix sensed that he was crying, so hoped to soothe him with tender kisses on his cheek and collarbone. "I promise."

___

Felix anxiously tapped his foot under the meeting table, praying that the end of the council session came quickly. He wanted to be home before the sun went down, but judging on how the lord drabbled on, they'd be there all night.

"Finally, I'd like to announce a mission to the Gautier territory. The Margrave has called for assistance." At the mention of his lover's father's name, Felix clenched his fist.

Rodrigue looked at the lord, puzzled. "Why is this the first I'm hearing of this?" He asked.

"The messenger only came this morning, Lord Fraldarius," the man said, pulling a scroll from his robes and passing it down the large table to get it to Rodrigue. Felix watched his father unroll it nervously.

"Vampires?! That man has lost his mind..." Rodrigue tossed the scroll on the table and sighed in annoyance, placing his forehead into his palm and shaking his head. "We're about to be buried under ice and snow... and he's calling my men in for such a small threat." Felix anxiously fidgeted in his seat, hand covering his mouth. Was he going to be sent to Gautier to assist? If he were gone long, how could Sylvain safely feed? Would he be safe alone in the cottage for any amount of time if Felix weren't there?

"Good news, son; looks like I finally have a mission for you."

Felix forced a smile at his father, his mind now miles away from the meeting. He gazed out the large window and felt a pit growing in his stomach. He knew it'd be damn near impossible to have Sylvain travel with him. Even on wintery days of the late Red Wolf Moon, the sun could still come through the clouds.

"If we wish to beat the storm, I'd suggest leaving tomorrow." Felix's stomach tightened even more. Rodrigue called for a recess and looked tiredly at his son.

"Can you not refuse?" Felix snapped; arms crossed in irritation.

"I would son, but... there was something else in the letter." Rodrigue watched as the lords shuffled off to refill their goblets and to stretch their legs. "It would appear the Margrave's son is also giving him grief." His father showed him a small note at the bottom of the scroll. A gripe about the Margrave's 'son by shared name only' was penned in different handwriting from the rest of the letter. Felix assumed he had added it as an afterthought.

"As if this should be reason enough to put our men in danger," Felix said darkly, merely seeing Sylvain's fathers handwriting was enough to anger him.

"It's very unbecoming of you to not want to leave..." Rodrigue pointed out, sitting back in his chair at the head of the table. Felix cast aside his gaze, his cheeks burning. He couldn't rightly tell his father the truth, but as always, he saw right through him. "Felix..."

Felix looked back at his father with a scowl that was haunted by a look of worry. His breath caught in his throat as he fought for the words, looking angrily around at the lords in the room.

"My lords, we will not be departing tomorrow. We need time to prepare. If we need to wait for the storm to pass, we will. We will be of no use to the Margrave if we can't even make it to Gautier. If you will excuse my son and I for a moment." He stood and motioned for Felix to follow him, leading him down the hall to another empty room. He secured the door and turned to his son, who was aching to pace.

"You're not going to believe me when I tell you." He said to Rodrigue, leaning against a table and crossing his arms.

"Try me." Rodrigue smiled wryly.

"Sylvain Gautier is alive."

Rodrigue's smile dropped instantly. "Felix... You know what happened to Sylv-- I mean, Lord Gautier."

"Yes, I do. I know what really happened to him."

He angrily recounted the story of Miklan kidnapping Sylvain, of how he was left for dead in a vampire's den, and how, instead of just letting them kill him, they instead turned him. Rodrigue wore a face of utter disbelief, raising his eyebrow at Felix as though he were ill. He shook his head with a laugh, but when he heard Felix sniffling in frustration, his mouth fell slightly open and his shoulders dropped.

"Felix, I..."

"If you send me to Gautier, I will kill Miklan. He must pay for what he did to Sylvain." He had to force out the last few words through gritted teeth, his fists clenched at his sides. "I promise that."

___

Felix unlocked the door to his cottage sometime later, well past when he told Sylvain he'd be home. His lover was spread out on the sofa, shirtless, enjoying the warmth of the fire. When he heard the key turning, he sprung up and greeted Felix happily.

"You're home... I missed you," he mumbled against his neck, leaning down to kiss it while he pulled him into an embrace. Felix moaned softly at his touch, dreading telling him about the mission to Gautier.

"I'm sorry I'm late. My father kept the meeting going far later than anticipated." He allowed the other to remove his gloves and coat, skin burning at the kisses he left when they were bare. When he got him down to just his undershirt, he blushed but stood up on his toes to make out him with his back to the door. "Ahhh... Sylvain, I--"

The redhead's left hand traveled down his stomach to his waistband, where his long fingers deftly slipped underneath to pull down. Felix hastily kicked off his boots to allow them to fall to the ground, followed closely by Sylvain's. The swordsman hopped up when he saw that he was already hard, aching to drop to his knees to ravish him.

Felix shivered when Sylvain shoved him back up against the door, pinning his hands above his head and biting down on his neck. He felt the familiar prick of his emerging fangs against his flesh, almost wanting to beg for him to pierce him. He instead breathed deeply against the outside of his ear, rubbing along his dick and thigh with his knee.

"I missed you too, you know..." He groaned, head falling pathetically against the taller man's chest while he sucked bruises into his neck. Sylvain growled in appreciation, letting go of Felix's hands to scoop him up by his ass, holding him up so his legs could go around his waist. He pressed the navy haired man's back against the door, hand wrapping around his growing erection and pumping.

"I wanted to touch myself all day thinking about you, my love," Sylvain whispered against his lips, teasing them with nibbles. He jerked him agonizingly slow, making Felix grunt in appreciation. He liked when Sylvain made him wait or took his time. "But I wanted to wait until you were inside me... To fully enjoy myself." The redhead gently set Felix back on his feet and dropped to his knees, dragging his long nails down his thighs before massaging them. He stared up at him with half-lidded eyes, whispering the other's name repeatedly against his burning skin. When Felix fell pathetically against the door, he gripped his balls and the base of his dick while he took him in his mouth.

"S-Sylvain..." Felix's hips jutted forward when he was fully inside the other, the sensation of fireworks in his brain, chest, and groin. Sylvain made horrendously indecent noises against his skin, tugging and sucking on every spot that made Felix shudder. He picked up a rhythm to rock against Sylvain's hungry mouth, winding his fingers through his hair, moaning his name as he was ravished. As the other's tongue slid off his dick and down over his balls, his ass clenched and he had to pull out before he made a mess all over his face.

He pulled his lover up and dragged him to his chamber (where they now both slept), pushing him down on the bed while he fetched their oil from the armoire. He drank in his long, lean frame against the red sheets, pale skin glowing in the candle that flickered on the nightstand. As he coated his dick and Sylvain's entrance, he leaned down and tenderly kissed him, long, drawn out and loving.

"I love you," Sylvain mumbled against his lips, cradling his face. His hazel eyes were glazed over with joy, watching as Felix prepared himself.

Felix slammed a hungry kiss on him, biting his lip as a smile threatened to contort his face into a silly mess he knew Sylvain loved.

"I love you," he replied softly as he pressed his erection inside him, lips and toes curling at the aching moan that rattled the redhead's chest. His legs stretched out fully, hands grabbing into the sheets as they settled around Felix's waist over his ass.

"Mmmmmnnn, f-fuck... Oh, Felix--" An arm was thrown over Sylvain's face as he groaned and rocked against Felix's thrusts, neck and back arching off the bed. Felix held on to his stomach as he gently fucked him, whispering Sylvain's name.

"I want to come home to you forever," he said, caressing his skin, dragging his fingertips along his lover's most erogenous zones. His thumbs pressed into two spots on his groin near his thighs, resulting in a deep growl breaking his sensual moans. He took his lover's dick in his hand and pumped, biting down on his lip hard as the other man writhed.

Felix gently pushed Sylvain higher up on the bed, settling his knees into the mattress and holding onto his ankles. His head fell back as his thrusts grew shorter and quicker; the tightness coupled with their noises throttling him towards release.

"Syl..." He leaned his sweaty forehead on his lover's leg and blushed with a laugh, the coil in his stomach threatening to spring at any moment.

"Cum for me, baby," Sylvain encouraged, taking over his own dick so Felix could hold him. He groaned at the swordsman's fingers on his hips as he pounded down into him, eyes glazing over at the sight of his toned stomach flexing with his thrusts above him. "Tell me you love me," he pleaded, absolutely relishing in the moan that erupted from Felix.

"I love you so much," each word punctuated by a thrust and groan, "I'll love you for the rest of our lives—Ahhhn, Sylvain--" One last push sent him diving, spilling down into the other with meaningful thrusts.

"Felix," Sylvain called out softlu, pulling him back to reality. The redhead's fingers gripped his left hand as he finished himself off, moaning quietly yet deeply. Felix watched unblinking, chest heaving. It was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.

He leaned down and kissed him, easing out and sliding down to spoon him. They lie there in the post-coital high, fingers lazily dancing over each other’s bodies while they steadied their breathing. When Felix could feel his legs again, he stumbled over to the basin in his room and wet a towel, returning to Sylvain to tenderly clean him up.

"You're amazing," Sylvain breathed out happily, stretching out his arms and legs as Felix tended to him.

"It's because I love you," the swordsman replied, placing the cloth on a pile of linens that needed to be washed and rejoining him in bed. "Would you like to feed now?"

Sylvain's eyes nearly rolled back in his head as he nodded, achingly sitting up against the headboard and pillows. Felix pulled his hair over his right shoulder and straddled his lap, looking back at him sweetly. The redhead smoothed his hands over his lover's neck and back, kissing his skin warmly as he searched for the perfect spot. Felix shuddered when his lips passed over the junction between his neck and shoulder, grabbing the other's thighs hopefully. Sylvain grinned against his flesh, opening his mouth to expose his fangs.

"Thank you, my love," he moaned gratefully, licking the spot before his pierced the skin. Felix jumped, feeling his back arching away from Sylvain in pleasure. Sylvain's hands gently pulled him back to his chest, arms wrapping around him protectively while he fed. The pain was lessened on his back from the thicker skin, so he was able to peacefully rest against his lover's embrace.

When he finished, Sylvain tenderly treated the wound and showered Felix in kisses as he poured the potion in the bites. "I love you."

"I love you," Felix's voice trailed off as Sylvain pulled him down to have him lie on his chest, his fingers tracing random shapes on his skin.

"What's wrong, Fe?" the redhead asked worriedly, moving the hair out of his eyes out of habit.

Felix looked away, letting out an anxious breath. He delved into the mission his father had given him, where he'd be going, and how he didn't know how long he'd be gone. He previously thought it impossible, but Sylvain turned an eerie shade of white at his words. He held him more tightly, eyes shut and breath anxious.

"I'm coming with you."

"But how--"

"I'll make it work. I can't let you go there alone. Sounds like my father didn't fully address the situation."

Felix looked at the other, questions running in his mind like wildfire. He cupped his cheek and pressed their foreheads together, pulling him as close as he could in an embrace.

"I promise to protect you, okay? We'll have each other's backs the whole way." Sylvain nodded, resting his head on his lover's. He was worried, but knew he'd stop at nothing to make sure he stayed safe.

___

Felix stood next to his horse, Thoron, and pet her affectionately, slipping a sugar cube in her mouth as she stomped her hoof importantly. They stood near the head of the cavalry, waiting for Rodrigue's signal that they were leaving. His stomach twisted and turned in anxiety, knowing the trek to Gautier would be short, but they'd be arriving to a storm of chaos. Sylvain had told him that Miklan liked to sow seeds of terror in the part of the territory they were headed to out of spite of his father disowning him. He'd burn cities, incite riots and rebellions, anything to get the Margraves attention. When he was done, though, he'd bring in the clan of vampires to really tip things past the point of hope.

He heard hoof beats behind him, and turned to see his father riding towards him.

"Are you ready, son?" He asked with a smile, gently tugging on the reins of his horse.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Despite his anxieties and fears, he'd be a liar if he said he wasn't excited to be back in the field with his sword.

"Good. We're moving out." Felix nodded and mounted his horse with ease, smiling when she whinnied and trotted along after Rodrigue. He looked back at the cargo carriage she pulled behind them, which was nothing more than a simple covered cart with reinforced swinging doors. Inside slept Sylvain in a long shipping box Felix had bartered off merchants in the market. He had stashed cloaks and other linens to make it more comfortable inside for him, all of it stashed behind empty crates. It was the safest way for him to make the return trip to his homeland, but also the best way for Felix to keep an eye on him.

The journey was cold, but luck was on their side and they were not met with the previously predicted snow storm. Light flurries fell during the evening, illuminating the wintry landscape under bright stars in the sky. Felix wished Sylvain could see it. He was contemplating asking Rodrigue to stop when one of the lords in company did it themselves.

"Lord Fraldarius... Mind if we stop off for a mo'... Nature calls, and whatnot..." The man asked sheepishly. Rodrigue nodded and called to his commanders to stop the procession. Felix steered Thoron to a cluster of bushes nearby, dismounting her and patting her head.

He made sure no one was looking before unlatching the doors of the cart. He knocked their secret code against the wood, anxiously waiting for a response. Sylvain repeated the code and lifted the lid off the crate, smiling when he saw Felix's face. The swordsman climbed up into the cart and kissed him, rubbing his shoulders in excitement.

"How are you feeling? Is Thoron going too fast? Were you able to sleep?" He fired off questions to a sleepy Sylvain, who chuckled at his worry and shook his head.

"I'm fine, love. Where are we?"

"Almost there. It's dark outside, I wanted you to see something..." When Sylvain tensed, Felix gently took his hand and motioned for him to come out. "Just for a minute."

Sylvain slid out of the crate and towards the doors of the cart, holding on to Felix's hand tightly. When he stepped out into the flurries, his mouth dropped open, eyes widening at the endless sea of stars above them. His skin shone under them, shining like a diamond in Felix's eyes.

"You look... so beautiful," he muttered breathlessly, reaching up to kiss him again. They stood locked in time, lips pushing against one another in a loving battle to gain control. When Felix shivered against his lover, the taller man engulfed him in a hug and pulled his long cloak around both their torsos.

"I'm happy I got to see you, babe," Sylvain said, affectionately nibbling on Felix's neck. He pecked him once more and slid back into the cart just as hooves could be heard trotting up.

"Everything alright, son?" Rodrigue asked knowingly, eyeing the cart. He alone knew of their secret companion, vowing to Felix he'd keep it a secret.

"Y-yes." Rodrigue knew about Sylvain. But he did not yet know about Sylvain and Felix.

"Good. We're heading back out soon." As he trotted back to the group, Felix sighed a breath of relief. His father certainly would have made it known if he'd seen them in that state. He remounted Thoron and steered her back to the group, falling in line behind Rodrigue at the front. 

By the time they arrived at Castle Gautier, Felix was nearly falling asleep against Thoron. She shook her head to get him off her neck, a short whinny accompanying in annoyance. He sat straight up and peered at the great structure before him, anger bubbling in his stomach. He recognized it from childhood, but noticed it had become significantly gloomier and less maintained.

A guard at the great gate quickly signaled for it to be open to let their cavalry pass through, recognizing Rodrigue immediately.

"I will handle talking to the Margrave, Felix." Rodrigue smiled at him reassuringly, giving Felix the clear to not join him when he went to their meeting.

"... Thank you, father."

___

Felix and Sylvain sat closely together next to a fire a few miles away from castle Gautier. Now that the cavalry had arrived safely, Felix was free to break apart from the group to scout ahead for the mission. They had set up camp approximately a mile and a half away from the rendezvous point, and had already completed the preliminary investigation.

Now, he was snuggled up to his lover under the redhead's large black cloak, sipping warm cider from a stone mug while the flames cackled before them.

"Are you scared?" Sylvain asked him, squeezing his hand for what seemed the hundredth time that day. The swordsman couldn't lie -- he was apprehensive. Going against angry supernatural beings when you excel in hand-to-hand combat isn't always the most hopeful future. He worried about being unable to help his lover for whatever reason, or having to watch him suffer. He tried to make Sylvain promise he wouldn't take part in their raid, but he refused on principle. This was the same clan that had turned him, allowed him to coexist with them, and then ousted him like he was nothing more than a nuisance. He vowed revenge on all, especially the vampire who had sired him.

"I want to see his head roll and his body to burn," he had said through gritted teeth. "But first, I'll need his blood."

A dangerous feat though it was, Sylvain wanted to attempt to reverse the curse that his brother Miklan had decided for him. He had read that if a special concoction were made with the blood of a sire vampire, the affliction could be reversed and the individual returned to normal. He wanted to be able to walk amongst people again. He wished to pick up his lance and fight. He ached for the warm sun on his skin, and the taste of his favorite foods and wines.

Mostly though, he wished to live alongside Felix and not to be a burden on him.

No matter how much his lover willingly made accommodations and sacrifices, it killed Sylvain knowing they could never walk hand-in-hand through Fraldarius territory as he was. He'd never be able to stand in front of a priest or priestess and marry him so long as vampiric blood coursed through his veins. He'd be hunted, slaughtered, and his corpse burned so there could be no hope for his return.

He was willing to face the dangers and trials associated with obtaining his sire's blood. When Felix had begged him not to fight, Sylvain in turn begged his lover not to stand in the way of his goal. It turned out both were fiercely stubborn, and they both refused each other's requests.

So here they sat, the evening rendezvous looming over their heads in the late evening light.

"I want to say that we'll be okay," Felix muttered bitterly, standing up to extinguish the fire with nearby stones. With his back to Sylvain, he fought angry, frustrated tears and threw them down. "But I just. Don't know. I cannot _promise _you that." He threw the last one a little harder than intended, finally letting a choked sob escape his lips.

He felt Sylvain's arms wrap wholly around his chest, encircling him with warmth and temporary protection. His hands reached up to clasp his lover, sniffling softly against his gloved fingers.

"I will do anything in my power to keep you safe, love," he whispered down into Felix's ear, nuzzling into his neck. Felix could feel his lover's hands and arms shaking, doing nothing to assuage his fear and anger. Felix whipped around and clung to Sylvain, wanting to make these last few minutes before the rendezvous count.

"I love you."

"I love you. I will see you after the raid. Promise?"

"Promise."

They kissed, long, meaningful, and tender. Felix swatted away the tears as he strode over to Thoron to mount her, waving at Sylvain with a sad smile before galloping away. Sylvain watched as he left, chest tight but hopeful.

Felix rode to the rendezvous point, only having to wait a few minutes before he saw Rodrigue and the other lords in the distance.

"Miklan will be leading his followers through this area in half an hour's time. We are to intercept their caravan and take him as a prisoner."

"And what of the vampires?" Felix asked, tightening his grip on Thoron's reins.

"They're supposed to be with him. We have no intel on the head of the clan."

They reiterated the surprise attack plan and dispersed, hiding in thickets and pockets of the woods. Felix steered his horse to a particularly leafy area, thankful for her all white coat as they hid behind a large tree trunk. His own white robes made him nearly invisible, perfect for ambush. How he prayed that Miklan Gautier's ugly face was the first thing he saw so he could catch the bastard himself.

He waited for the sound of hooves or talking, his arm hair standing on end whenever Thoron would sigh or pad her hoof at the snow. As the minutes ticked on, he felt as though his mind were playing tricks on him. Scouting in weather such as this always proved to be more difficult and challenging, never knowing if noises were just hunks of snow falling off trees or the enemy encroaching.

A twig snapped nearby and his body froze, ears straining to distinguish the exact direction of the source. Hooves could be heard coming from the south, so he straightened his back up against the trunk of the tree and steadying his breathing. With a deep breath he hopped up onto Thoron’s saddle and steered her quietly through the thicket.

To the north, he saw a clearing into a vast, open field. It was there he and his father’s men would meet, hoping to drive most of Miklan’s group that way. He headed west and carefully peered through gaps in the trees, looking for flashes of hair or swatches of fabric to distinguish friend or foe. A dark red mane zipped by on a horse, momentarily worrying that Sylvain had followed them. But the angry roar that came from the man’s mouth was too deep. Felix knew it was Miklan. He jerked Thoron’s reins and tore after him through the thicket, unsheathing his sword. When he saw him whip around, he screamed in anger.

“Fraldarius?” Miklan growled, yanking his horse’s reins to slow it. It nearly bucked him off in the process.

“Yeah, you bastard, it’s me.” Felix urged Thoron to stop, chest heaving as he panted. Miklan jumped down and pointed his lance at him, snarling with an evil smile on his face. It was scarred to hell and back, making him almost un recognizable from when Felix had last seen him as a child.

“Where’s your dear old father? I hear he still _likes_ you,” Miklan spat, circling around Felix. The swordsman didn’t answer him, instead kept his blade raised in defense. “Mine doesn’t like me too much, you see. He wonders why I have to go around stealing and causing trouble. It’s because dear old daddy doesn’t take care of his sons.”

Felix’s blood boiled hotly inside him. He grunted in anger and swung his sword against Miklan’s armored side, hoping just to catch him off guard.

“You took _everything_ from your brother,” he screamed, raising his fist to put the older Gautier. Miklan slapped his arm aside and shoved him. “You sentenced him to a fate worse than _death_. And for _what_?”

“For what?! For what?!” Miklan threw the tip of his lance up against Felix’s throat, shoving him back up against a tree. “That _bastard_ took everything from _me_,” he shouted, teeth bared under his twisted lips. “All because he has a _fucking_ crest. Our parents didn’t care if I lived or died. He deserved what he got.”

Felix had never stared at someone with as much hatred as he did with Miklan Gautier. He aimed a kick in his groin, grunting in victory when he fell against the tree, groaning in pain. Felix could not help but kick him again, face twisting in anger when Miklan began to laugh.

“And look where we are now. My _father_ knows all about my sweet baby brother’s… affliction.” He chuckled like a mad man, blood spewing out of his mouth where Felix’s shoe had caught him. “He wouldn’t have made the bounty mandatory if he didn’t want him disposed of.”

Felix stopped dead in his tracks. He dropped to his knees and grabbed Miklan by his long hair, yanking it forcefully.

“What did you just say? Your father knows Sylvain is alive?”

Miklan wheezed with his laughter. Felix wanted to sink his sword in between his eyes to shut him up. “When father heard what I did to Sylvain, he was more upset he’d have to come up with an excuse for his disappearance. But I took away the son with the Crest, so his dream of continuing the bloodline died and he disowned me.”

Felix screamed in disbelief, anger, and hurt. He stumbled back to the tree and slid down it, eyes welling with tears as Miklan cackled. He thought about Sylvain, who was only 15 when he was turned. He had been all alone when his life had been taken from him, and his parents didn’t even care enough to try and help him. He’d continued a miserable existence, barely doing enough to survive. And it was all because of his brother’s jealousy.

As he stared at Miklan, ugly inside and out, he thought about their cottage. His mind went back to the warm fires Sylvain made sure he had when he awoke in the morning so he’d have that last bit of comfort before he had to go out in the cold. Sylvain sat with him when he took his meals just to share his company. The worst part of every day was leaving him alone in their bed, but that only made it better when he got to come home to him. He knew he was being selfish, but he thanked the goddess everyday he had almost arrested Sylvain that night in the tavern.

He stood quickly, retrieving rope from his side pouch. He kicked Miklan over onto his stomach, pressing his knee roughly into the small of his back while he bound his hands.

“Knock off that incessant cackling before I slice out your tongue,” he spat venomously, yanking the man up when he was secured in the rope. Miklan only giggled. Felix took hold of both reins of their horses and tugged them towards the open clearing.

“Goddess, Felix, excellent work!” Rodrigue praised him when he saw Felix returning with Miklan apprehended.

“Are you sure I can’t kill him?” Felix nearly threw him into his father’s guards who followed to collect him.

“No. We shall let the Margrave decide what to do with him,” his father replied, shaking his head as Miklan laugh his way to their holding quarters. “We managed to round up a good number of his followers. We’re only missing their leader, as it stands.”

“Have the captives been interrogated?” He asked hopefully, hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

“You may be a biased interrogator, son…” Rodrigue laughed, patting his son on the shoulder. Felix grumbled, but knew he was correct. He’d slaughter the whole lot of them in front of each other’s eyes if it got someone to squeal.

Felix handed off Miklan’s horse to another soldier and mounted Thoron. “I’m going to go scout. I cannot sit here idly while that monster lurks.” He rode off before his father could say anything else, not that it’d change his mind or his focus. He rode back into the forest, veins pulsing with angry blood. He had overheard some of the soldiers talking about a nearby cave that lie somewhere to the west of the clearing. He rode in that direction with purpose, unafraid to challenge the leader alone if that’s what it took to end Sylvain’s suffering.

Thoron tore over the snow for a solid thirty minutes before they came upon the cave. It loomed overhead just at the base of the nearby mountains; its mouth was surrounded by gigantic icicles. The place felt unnaturally cold despite the weather. No doubt found its way into Felix’s mind when he saw countless bones and skulls scattered about like debris.

He slowed his horse and looked for a place to hide her. He scanned the trees, gasping when he saw Sylvain’s horse lying beneath a tall frozen oak. Thoron walked towards him on her own, whinnying. The other horse stood up and stomped in excitement upon seeing them.

“Damn it, Sylvain…” Felix uttered in exasperation, hopping down off Thoron and looping her reins next to where his lover had tied his. He patted both of them before taking a deep breath and heading into the mouth of the cave. He felt extremely odd. Knowing Sylvain had come alone angered him, worried him to the point where his skin was crawling. But knowing Sylvain was already here also brought a manic peace to his emotional turmoil.

He fumbled through the dark cave, hearing nothing besides dripping water somewhere deep inside. Felix held onto the wall for support, cursing his impatience for not remembering to bring a torch. His footsteps padded along the inside of the cave. He hoped they’d bring him somewhere useful so he could help Sylvain.

The minutes ticked on into an hour. Felix didn’t know how he hadn’t stumbled or fallen into an abyss by then. The cave was devoid of any light or noise whatsoever, save for that far off dripping. Anxiety started to wrack his mind, then he heard… coughing? Was his mind playing tricks on him again? No that, was definitely coughing. It sounded so familiar…

Felix began to run, then sprint. He blindly tore through the cave, aching to get to the source of the noise. After a few moments, he saw a dim light somewhere far off. Somehow, despite having no air in his lungs to spare, he darted off towards it. He held his sword in his right hand and his side in his other, gasping for breath the closer he got.

The light shone from a room carved into the side of the mountain. Made-made walls had been erected, and a lavishly carved wooden door was swung open away from the frame. Felix threw himself inside and wildly scanned the room.

“S-Sylvain!” He nearly screamed when he saw his lover bound on an extravagant four-poster bed, a black eye forming on the right side of his face. His coughing rattled his chest like it had the first night he and Felix had met. “Sylvain… goddess, what happened to you…?” He padded over, still cautiously holding the hilt of his sword.

“That bastard caught me. He brought Hugo with us to draw someone in…” Sylvain grumbled, straining against his ties. He longed to wrap Felix comfortably in a hug, relieved to the point of tears that he was okay. “He’s gone, for now.”

Felix’s hands anxiously fumbled against the rope, but he managed to untie it and gingerly hold Sylvain’s bloody wrists in his hands as he leaned down to kiss him.

“I’m so relieved to see you’re okay…” the swordsman breathed out, smoothing Sylvain’s wild hair away from his face. Sylvain just rested his head on Felix’s chest, steadying his breathing and nodding furiously. “We need to get you out of here.”

Sylvain jerked back, eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. “No. I’m not leaving until he’s _dead_, Felix.” He winced as he reached up and grabbed his lover’s shoulders. His face was stubborn, yet etched in a seriousness Felix had never seen before. Sylvain eased the tension on his face and rubbed his thumbs over Felix’s cheeks, smiling sadly at him. “I’ve got to.”

Felix embraced him tightly, hands wringing at the small of Sylvain’s back. “Then I’m going to stay with you until the end. We’ll take him down together.”

__

It was dark by the time the lovers returned to the rendezvous point. Felix found Rodrigue inside his meeting tent, going over maps with the higher lords from their territory. When all of the men laid their eyes on Sylvain, a small chaotic frenzy ensued. Thankfully, he wore long robes to cover the features that would immediately give away his affliction. To them, he just looked slightly staved and weak, pale from the bitter cold of Red Wolf Moon Gautier.

“Someone must alert the Margrave!”

“Is he in his tent? Someone must go fetch him!”

Sylvain fearfully looked at Felix, his hands drawing his cloak tighter around him.

“The Margrave is here?” the swordsman asked nervously, eyes shooting to Rodrigue.

“Yes. He and his men arrived shortly after our messenger delivered the news of Miklan’s capture.” His father stood and motioned for the commotion to die down in the tent. “I will alert the Margrave of his son’s return. Please continue, gentlemen.” He led Sylvain and Felix out of the tent.

“Father—”

“Worry not, my son, we’re not going to him right away.” He smiled at the two and instead walked further down the line of tents, stopping at one that had two guards outside. It appeared to be his personal quarters.

“In here, there’s a small fire.” The three men walked in and graciously took in the heat from the flames. “We have a patrol set up around the edge of camp; there’s no use in fighting tonight unless we’re ambushed. We don’t believe Miklan or the clan leader has more followers, but you never know…” He removed his cloak and gloves.

Felix instinctively went to remove Sylvain’s for him, catching the slightly off-putting glance from his father. He blushed but continued, too exhausted both mentally and physically to change his behavior now that he knew Sylvain was safe. He could tell Rodrigue suspected something, though.

“Please, Lord Fraldarius. I’d rather not have to speak to my father,” Sylvain pleaded earnestly, the awkward exchange between he and Felix lost upon him in his anxiety.

“Felix told me what happened, Sylvain. I cannot fathom the pain you must feel. Seeing you now, in the flesh… I must admit that I did not believe him at first.” Sylvain winced at the words, but deep down he understood. He knew that despite what a monster his father was, he and Rodrigue did have a long history. Hell, he didn’t want to believe that his own father could be that monstrous either.

“I genuinely appreciate your assistance and generosity, Lord Fraldarius,” he said earnestly, bowing deeply in front of Rodrigue. As he stood, Felix’s father smiled and opened his arms to him for an embrace.

“We’ve got you now, Sylvain.” The redhead’s eyes almost instantly welled with tears of surprise, but he fell against his lover’s father in a strong hug. Felix looked upon them and had to turn away so he didn’t cry as well. He’d be damned if his old man ever saw him do that. “I’ve had the men prepare tents for you just next to mine. It’d be best to rest up for tomorrow.”

Felix waited until his father returned to his meeting tent before he slipped out of his and joined Sylvain. He simply fell beside him onto his cot, intertwining their legs as he snuggled up to his chest. His lover’s heartbeat threatened to lull him to sleep, but he perked up when the redhead kissed sweetly around his face.

“I hope this is us tomorrow, baby. But I hope our enemies are dead.”

Felix chuckled and buried his face in Sylvain’s chest. “Are you ready to face them? Truly?”

His words weren’t spiteful or condescending. His face was lined with worry, fear hidden behind them and his eyes. Sylvain was still, breathing through his nose as his eyes closed.

“I’m… terrified. I have no idea if I’ll be able to retrieve my sire’s blood. I need to kill him so he won’t be able to hurt anyone ever again. But… I also need to make sure Miklan is dead too.”

Felix’s eyes welled at the way Sylvain’s body gently trembled. The redhead’s eyes opened and closed sporadically, his hands fretfully gripping the back of Felix’s shirt. He seemed to be undergoing a minor anxiety attack, so Felix scooted up to plant gentle kisses along his cheeks and lips, humming softly. He rubbed Sylvain’s shoulders, making his way to his neck and back. He massaged his fingers lovingly into his skin, exchanging the touch between them and his lips.

As he calmed down, Felix asked him about the concoction he hoped to make with the blood.

“I’ll just need a little, truthfully,” Sylvain replied with a shaky breath. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and steadying his breathing. “I have every other ingredient in my pouch. If I can get a flagon, I’ll be able to mix it and drink it. Then…” He trailed off, looking down at his pale skin and long nails. “It’s… going to hurt, though.”

Felix’s body tensed. “How so?”

Sylvain shuddered, pulling him up into his lap. He held on to him frightfully. “From what others told me I’ll… probably beg for death. It’s a quick process. But once I drink the concoction, all of my vampiric blood is going to expel. The reemergence of my sire’s blood in my veins is going to reverse the affliction.”

Felix’s breath hitched in his throat. He had so many questions. But he wanted to prepared to assist in any way he could.

“Where will the expulsion—”

“My mouth and eyes.”

Felix viscerally reacted, shutting his eyes tightly and digging into Sylvain’s arms with his nails. His own stomach threatened to betray him, so he covered his mouth with his hand.

“Sylvain, I… I will stay by your side. N-no matter what,” Felix promised, gazing up into the eyes of his beloved in agony. Seeing the transformation would threaten his sanity. Seeing Sylvain in such pain would be one of the toughest things he ever had to witness, but he’d do it for him in a heartbeat.

“I know you will,” Sylvain smiled sadly, breath jumping in his throat as a few tears sprinkled onto his cheeks.

___

Felix was jolted out of his sleep from the sounds of screams. He sat straight up on the cot, blood pumping furiously in his ears when he saw Sylvain wasn’t beside him. He threw on his cloak and tore out of the tent, soldiers running past him with their weapons drawn. He unsheathed his sword and followed them to the commotion going on out in the field. His yelp of surprise was drowned out by a large boom of thunder magic, which was being cast by an ancient looking being in the middle.

“Hold steady men, he’s a mage!” Felix heard Rodrigue’s voice cutting through the chaos, head whipping around frantically to find him. When he saw him surrounded by his battalion, he nodded to himself in comfort and charged forth past the rest of the soldiers. He attempted to steel himself in not knowing where Sylvain was.

He shot out onto the open field, prying off his gloves. If luck were on his side, he’d be able to pull some of his own magic out of the recesses of his mind, having not used it in at least half a decade. He clenched his fist, stomach rolling in happiness when yellow bolts exploded from his hand. He kept his sword drawn but aimed a Thoron spell at the being. It was small, but it caught his attention. With a wave of the vampire’s hand, a strong force swept over Felix and sent him flying.

“Forward, men!” Felix shakily stood; the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. He looked over to see Margrave Gautier surrounded by multiple fortress knights, commanding his soldiers in cowardice. They charged, but got forced back by the same move from the clan leader. Felix attempted a thunder spell, but it too proved too weak to break him.

“Felix!” He shot around when he heard Sylvain’s voice. His lover rushed to him and caught him in his arms. “I didn’t know you could cast spells!” Despite the raging battle and his mortal enemy being so near, Sylvain could not help but smile giddily at the swordsman.

“Not much,” Felix chuckled, reaching up to quickly cup Sylvain’s chin. Uncaring if his father’s soldiers, the Margrave, or whomever saw, he stood on his toes to kiss him forcefully. “Let’s go get this bastard.”

They turned around to charge at the clan leader. His red eyes fell upon Sylvain and he smirked evilly, raising his hands in a welcoming motion.

“I see you’ve finally returned to me, young Gautier,” he hissed, sending another wave in the direction of Fraldarius soldiers behind them.

“Sure have. Only this time, I’ll kill you,” Sylvain replied angrily. He held a glowing lance in his hands, which unnerved Felix with the way it twitched and moved as though it were alive. A shing red stone glimmered brightly in the middle.

“You can try, my son.” Sylvain roared in anger and lurched forward to attack at his familiarity.

“You… ruined my life.” He swung his lance with skill, managing to slice the vampire’s cheek. “You took everything from me.” The ancient being laughed, dodging the rest of his attacks with ease.

“That’s because you were foolish. When you thought we’d take your Crest, you would have done anything we said.”

Felix’s world went quiet, save for the angry breathing from Sylvain and the cackling of the vampire. They told him they’d remove his Crest from him? Had Miklan fabricated this lie… Or was it really possible? He looked at his lover, who’s eyes were dark in shame. Sylvain swept the lance behind the leader’s legs, knocking him to the ground. He jammed his foot into his chest as he reached inside his cloak and produced a silver dagger. He also brought out a glass vial, which he handed to Felix.

“Your reign of terror ends here, you monster.” Sylvain cried out as he slammed the blade into the side of his sire’s neck, slicing through cleanly to the other side. With a grunt he forced the blade down into the oozing flesh, a loud crack signaling that the brainstem had been severed. Felix shot down to collect the dark crimson blood in the vial, panting alongside his beloved. He placed an arm around Sylvain as he shook, grounding him in these moments of panic.

A massive cheer erupted from the Fraldarius and Gautier soldiers, rising up in the night like wildfire. Many tried to triumphantly lift the two heirs onto their shoulders in victory, but Felix politely warded them off and simply held on to Sylvain. He steered them away from the frenzy, bringing them to his tent. On his way in he grabbed an empty flagon off of a nearby crate and held it tightly in his fist.

“Are you ready? Do you want to wait, or—”

“No. It has to be soon…” Sylvain threw off his cloak and tossed the contents of his hip pouch onto the cot. Numerous vials of unknown liquids toppled forth. He shakily tried to uncork them, but dropped one on the floor. Felix took his hands in his own and kissed him reassuringly, bending down to get the fallen vial. He gave the flagon to Sylvain.

“Blue one first.” His eyes were locked onto the flagon in intense concentration, moving his hands to Felix’s knees to hold himself steady. As Felix poured, a small puff of white smoke rose out from the rim. “Next, the yellow.” He followed the other’s instructions, swirling the cup to mix them in specific directions every few pours. “And now… the blood.”

Sylvain’s eyes fearfully shot up to Felix, anxious tears freely falling upon his cheeks. He nodded to his lover, indicating it was time to empty the last vial. Felix tipped it over, his own hands shaking now. He almost held on when Sylvain reached to take it. He watched with fretful exasperation as his held tipped back, swallowing the concoction in one large gulp.

He steadied himself, hands gripping Felix like his life depended on it. The tremors began in his legs and quickly shot up to the rest of his body. He seized and fell off the cot onto the floor, screaming in agony. Felix watched in horror as his clear tears turned red, his eyes nearly completely coated in blood. He had to keep himself from heaving, but slid down onto the floor of the tent to hold him. Sylvain’s fangs ripped into his cloak, which he bit down on in an attempt to muffle his cries.

“Felix—” his voice came out as a hiss, his fingers reaching out for the other. Felix was scared, but he took Sylvain’s hand in his own and let the nails pierce his skin as another point of release, body shaking as he watched. No pain he was experiencing even compared to what Sylvain was going through. He was willing to sacrifice this for the man he loved.

“Fuck!!! Fuck, Felix… I want to die.” The blood could be seen coursing under his pale skin, fighting to leave his body as fast as it could. He moaned and sobbed into his lover, kicking his legs furiously in pain.

“Sylvain, stay with me, it’s almost over. You can do this.” Felix forced himself to remain calm, rubbing Sylvain’s back soothingly. In a terrifying moment for both of them, Sylvain threw himself up to stand, tearing away from the other. He ripped at his hair in torment as the blood forced its way to its final destination, doubling over as it sprayed like a geyser out of his mouth.

“Ahhn… f-fuck… Felix, this hurts so much…” Sylvain wept as his body rejected its old blood. He ripped at his pants, jumping in shock when he felt his lover’s hands reaching for his own. “I don’t want to—” he retched horribly, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Just take my hand, Syl, I’m right here.” Felix wrapped his arms around his waist, bear hugging him from behind. Sylvain squirmed but let him stay, hands grasping frantically over Felix’s. He covered the front of his body and the tent wall in crimson, his face soaked as well. This continued for two more agonizing minutes, but it felt like hours. Felix silently cried into Sylvain’s back, ashamedly unable to watch as he felt blood dripping down his arms. But he held onto him tightly, praying that it would end soon.

With one final heave Sylvain, who was now devoid of anything resembling energy, fell back onto Felix. His lover caught him, shaking at the sheer amount of blood in the tent. He brought Sylvain onto the cot, easing him down gently, turning to dunk wet cloths into the basin on the nearby desk. He shushed and soothed Sylvain as he wiped off his face, smoothing his hair down.

“Sylvain… It’s over. You did it.” He gazed lovingly down into his hazel eyes, tears of joy streaming down his face at Sylvain’s now human-esque complexion. His eyes were glossy, but his scleras were white. His fangs had too disappeared.

“F-Fe…” He tried to speak but Felix shook his head, running the warm cloth over his lips.

“Please rest, love. We have all the time in the world to talk,” Felix replied with a smile, reaching for Sylvain’s hand to squeeze it.

Felix removed Sylvain’s destroyed clothing and washed him from the basin. He gently removed the blood that had soaked through to his front, lovingly lifting his limbs for him if they needed to be.

As he dressed him, Sylvain managed to steal a kiss wherever he could on Felix. His lover protested at first, saying he needed to save his strength, but soon gave him when Sylvain pouted. The morning sun could be seen rising through the slit in the tent. Sylvain anxiously bounced on the cot, waiting for the perfect moment to dash outside. When the first beams of the day shone through, he grabbed Felix’s hand and stampeded out of the tent, his smile contorting his face.

As the rays fell upon his skin and warmed him, he once again wept. He clung to Felix for a moment before ripping away, jumping and hollering in joy. Felix let him have his moments in the sun with tears in his eyes, truly wondering if either of them would ever be this happy again.

__

Sylvain personally set fire to the destroyed tent with a laugh, apologizing to Felix’s father for the lost equipment. Rodrigue assured him it could have been worse with a tender smile. They stood in front of the bonfire with a few soldiers, who were quietly celebrating with them.

Felix held Sylvain’s hand as they watched it burn, delighting in how warm his lover’s skin now was. His pink cheeks were dimpled with the enormous grin he wore on his face, which was beaming down at the other.

Their moment of victory was destroyed when the Margrave trotted up on his horse.

“My son… Sylvain…” He slid down and crept towards them, blatant anxiety and trepidation on his face.

“Father.” Felix clutched Sylvain’s hand; he had never heard him sound so angry in all their time together.

“I am so… relieved to see you safe.” The forced smile on the man’s face could not be more apparent.

Sylvain studied him carefully. “Are you?”

The Margrave feigned shock. “My only remaining son alive and well? And cured of that horrible affliction? Why, yes, Sylvain, I am…”

“Why didn’t you help me back then?” He dropped Felix’s hand to storm up to his father’s chest, staring up into his identical hazel eyes. “You had two sons in case you’ve forgotten. And we both loved you. We loved each other. But the moment you made everything about my Crest, you ruined our lives. Every bit of our family’s misery is your fault.

“For years… for _years_ I hated Miklan. I hated what he _did_ to me. He threatened my life for years. What… what did you and mother do? Did you actually love either of us…?” Sylvain was crying, but when he realized it, he wiped his tears away in confusion. He had expected this conversation to be angrier.

“Sylvain—we didn’t know there was a cure. We had no idea—”

“I… don’t care.” Sylvain looked back at Felix and Rodrigue, who were standing tensely at his side. “It doesn’t matter to me anymore. I… already have a family. A family who loves me for me, not a Crest I didn’t ask for.”

“Sylvain, what are you saying? Are you really going to choose these people over your own blood?”

“For once, you’re absolutely correct.”

“The prisoner has escaped! Everyone on your guard!”

Hurried footsteps could be heard running in their direction. They all turned to see Miklan, who held a lance and was splattered in blood.

“Hello Father, Brother.” He lunged at the Margrave first, sinking the tip of the spear into his father’s neck. Rodrigue shouted for reinforcements, watching in horror as Miklan murdered his father. Felix jumped in front of Sylvain to shield him, but was roughly pushed aside. Sylvain took his glowing lance and repeated his swipe behind his legs, knocking Miklan to the ground.

“I wanted to do that, you fucker…” He spat as his lance was forced down into his brother’s skull. He grunted as he drove it down deeper, a sigh of relief falling out of his mouth as he looked at their bodies. 

Rodrigue turned to the other soldiers. “You saw Miklan attack first, correct?”

They nodded dutifully.

“You saw Sylvain defend not only himself but also us, correct?”

They saluted.

“Good. Get these two out of my sight,” he said disdainfully, not sparing the bodies of the two Gautiers anything more than a sickened grimace. “Felix, Sylvain, let us return home.”

The lovers laced their fingers together and embraced.

“Father…” Felix smiled at Rodrigue as he laid his head on Sylvain’s chest. The older man jumped slightly, his surprise obvious on his face. He breathed deeply but nodded, smiling weakly back at his son and his lover. “Can I have Mother’s ring? I know you have it.”

Sylvain’s eyes grew wide as Felix left his side momentarily to retrieve a band from his father’s shaking hands.

“I know I said we have all the time in the world. But I want to do this now.” Felix sheepishly lifted Sylvain’s left hand and slid the simple silver band onto his ring finger, unable to hide his blush when it only went to the middle. The redhead was surprised he had any tears left to cry, but more came anyway as Felix looked up at him, more tender than he had ever seen him.

“I want to spend my life with you, Sylvain. I don’t have a lot of pretty words to tell you this….” He reached up to smooth his thumb over his cheek. “But will you marry me? Can we live side by side forever?”

Sylvain just kissed him. He thought he’d never be happier once his curse was lifted. He was wrong, and couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life letting Felix prove him so.

**Author's Note:**

> whew... i can't believe it's done!! please let me know if you liked it, i <3 reading your comments and messages! follow me on twitter for potential future giveaways and more sylvix conent! @setethstiddies (nsfw) or @kabiejurnes (sfw)!


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